Obama: Sure, I go skeet shooting all the time

posted at 9:31 am on January 28, 2013 by Allahpundit

I know you’ve seen this at Drudge, appropriately posted beneath a photo of the Hopenchange crew cracking up in laughter, but some panders are so shameless and comically implausible that they must be commemorated in a post. (Unfortunately, politicians’ need to ingratiate themselves with gun owners has been known to lead to this sort of thing.)

To believe this, you need to believe that O splits sharply from most ivory-tower liberals when it comes to recreational shooting. How likely is that? In what other ways, based on what we know about him personally and politically, does he stray from the path of the stereotypical left-wing intellectual? The only one that pops to mind is that you’ll find him at church on Sunday morning very occasionally. Maybe that’s how it is with skeet shooting — a once-a-year lark, just to get “back in touch” with the people.

FF: Have you ever fired a gun?

Yes, in fact, up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time.

FF: The whole family?

Not the girls, but oftentimes guests of mine go up there. And I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations. And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake.

Part of being able to move this forward is understanding the reality of guns in urban areas are very different from the realities of guns in rural areas. And if you grew up and your dad gave you a hunting rifle when you were ten, and you went out and spent the day with him and your uncles, and that became part of your family’s traditions, you can see why you’d be pretty protective of that.

So it’s trying to bridge those gaps that I think is going to be part of the biggest task over the next several months. And that means that advocates of gun control have to do a little more listening than they do sometimes.

Hunting has very little to do with the Second Amendment but it’s an evergreen rhetorical sop to rural voters (many of whom live in purple states) whenever Democrats start getting grabby about guns. Clinton mentioned it the other day in warning Democrats not to condescend to their opponents, moments before he said of rural gun owners, “A lot of these people … all they’ve got is their hunting and their fishing.” Obama’s been talking up the glories of hunting since 2008 at least; he celebrated it again in the opening to his speech two weeks ago before launching into an explanation of why he needs to take executive action on guns. Listening to a liberal defend hunting is like watching a volcano start to smoke: You know what’s coming, and it won’t be good. But hey — if your concept of self-defense extends no further than long rifles or shotguns, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Continue to cling bitterly to them as needed.

The dirty little secret being obscured by O’s ode to the joys of hunting skeet is that the White House is slowly easing off a bit on the big gun-control push. OFA chose Friday afternoon, when most people are tuning out of politics for the weekend, to send an e-mail urging supporters to start calling congressional offices and pressuring them on guns. This morning, Democratic sources are grumbling to BuzzFeed that gun control may end up being to Obama’s second term what Social Security privatization was to Bush’s. Quote:

On Capitol Hill, the perception among many is that Obama has essentially written them off when it comes to gun control.

“No, they’re not talking to anybody,” a second Democratic aide said, adding “Maybe, maybe they can get something on background checks” through the House and Senate.

That’s the White House’s new plan. Focus on universal background checks, which are popular across the board in polling, as something that really might pass Congress and then try, try, try to hold as many Democrats together as possible on more aggressive doomed-to-fail stuff like the assault weapons ban. If they can at least manage a near-party line vote, then they can blame gun control’s failure on the GOP and hope that the public is peeved about that in 2014. Aside from background checks, it’s all kabuki.

Breaking on Hot Air

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

Trackbacks/Pings

Comments

I’m taken to understand that tyrants like guns for themselves, but not for others.

freedomfirst on January 28, 2013 at 10:46 AM

True – BUT – have you EVER seen a media report on his skeet shooting?
They report on every golf outing he’s had, every basketball game, his burger stops, etc – but I have never yet seen any report about him shooting anything but baskets.

Background checks will accomplish absolutely nothing. Do they really think criminals and the mentally defective will suddenly submit to background checks just because they passed a law? Of course not. This is all about control… er… I mean safety.

Allah, you should have evidence before calling our President a liar. Just sayin’

nonpartisan on January 28, 2013 at 9:58 AM

‘Cuz everyone knows Urkel really shoots skeet. Eyeroll.

You want some evidence that your President is a liar? Here:

“What happened in Selma, Alabama and Birmingham also stirred the conscience of the nation…This young man named Barack Obama…came over to this country. He met this woman…(who) had a good idea there was some craziness going on because they looked at each other and they decided…it might…be possible for us to get together and have a child. There was something stirring across the country because of what HAPPENED (PAST TENSE) in Selma, Alabama… So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born. So don’t tell me I don’t have a claim on Selma, Alabama. Don’t tell me I’m not coming home to Selma, Alabama.”

– Barack Obama

4 August 1961: Barack Obama’s birthday

7 March 1965: First Selma March

You want some more?

Obama and his campaign denied he ever joined the Socialist New Party. Unfortunately for them, Socialist New Party records show that he, in fact, did join the Far Left organisation on 11 January 1996 and even Ben Smith, who carried O’s water on this for years, has acknowledged the fact. Of course, his response was basically “What difference does it make?”

And I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations.

We call this a strawman.

Obama thinks he is the smartest guy in the room. He truly believes he can divide and conquer (his sine qua non) on this issue by falsely appealing to “hunters”.

Notice there were no meaningful questions (or answers) regarding the purpose of our Second Amendment.

Hint: it has nothing to do with a “hunting tradition”. It has everything to do with protecting against grotesque and excessive government overreach.

Mr. Obama is going to lose and lose badly on this issue. Most Democrats don’t understand the fairly ubiquitous passion that Americans hold for the Second Amendment. Any senator approaching reelection who signs on, or is even suspected of signing on the the anti-gun agenda will most-likely become an ex-senator.

Mr. Obama is going to lose and lose badly on this issue. Most Democrats don’t understand the fairly ubiquitous passion that Americans hold for the Second Amendment. Any senator approaching reelection who signs on, or is even suspected of signing on the the anti-gun agenda will most-likely become an ex-senator.

Marcus Traianus on January 28, 2013 at 11:10 AM

From your keyboard to…
I hope you’re correct. I’d prefer to see more outrage expressed. I know it’s out there (witness brisk gun sales), but it’s not hitting the airwaves.

Why does ANYONE still believe a SINGLE WORD that comes out of his Communist PIE HOLE?!? How many times can someone be proven a complete and total liar and absolutely devoid of any truthfulness whatsoever before a majority of dumba$$, moron voters realize, gee maybe I shouldn’t put him in charge of running the entire COUNTRY!

Allah, you should have evidence before calling our President a liar. Just sayin’

nonpartisan on January 28, 2013 at 9:58 AM

Um.

In May 2011, Obama said the fence between America and Mexico was “basically complete”; yet the Department of Homeland Security admits just 36.3 miles or 5% of the border is fenced.

Despite Obama’s empty lies about no public funding for abortions, a March 2012 edict from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unequivocally ruled Obamacare will use our tax dollars to fund abortion.

If the Prez want to win the “I care the most” race in the aftermath of the horror in Newtown, I say run on, Prez, run on. Who cares.

But, for those who want to believe there is sincerity in this (or anything else the man says, for that matter – e.g., debt ceiling votes) and think there is action and solution on the horizon, here is the bare, honest truth:

Gun control does not control guns.

Laws have no effect on the lawless.

It is impossible to legislate away maniacal behavior.

We have many laws against many things. Been to a jail or prison lately? There are people in them.

People are angry at the grotesque, undemocratic and unnecessary overreach. They will look to vote supporters of this Second Amendment attack out of office. Trust me, it will be a campaign theme used effectively against incumbents.

There is much more of this to come and it won’t abate by elections day.

By the way, it won’t just be in states that are traditional supporters of gun rights. Look for it to happen in states like NY after the outrageous actions of the governor and a Vichy State Senate and Assembly.

For example, Skelos in NY may want to start thinking about life after politics…

The NRA should produce an ad that shows black legal gun-owners slamming the Obama/Dem’s anti-gun push. I live in a very urban area, and when I go to the range or to a local gun show, roughly about one-third of the customers are black. Not gangbangers either. Normal Americans who are as adamant as anyone about the right to legally own firearms for protection and enjoyment. Society at large needs to be shown that this is not the black and white issue (no pun intended) that Obama tries to make it out to be. Same thing with Hispanics. Same thing with females. His condescending portrayal of this as a white male hick vs. enlightened urban diversity crowd split is flat out false.

“Sure, I go skeet shooting all the time, and then, Big Mo skins and cleans them skeets and fries ‘em up and serves ‘em with mashed potatoes and organic collards from her garden … we’re just regular folk.” – King B. Hussein’O

The NRA should produce an ad that shows black legal gun-owners slamming the Obama/Dem’s anti-gun push. I live in a very urban area, and when I go to the range or to a local gun show, roughly about one-third of the customers are black.
WhatSlushfund on January 28, 2013 at 11:37 AM

Ya – even in very conservative El Paso County, CO, when I go to Dragon Man’s range (Dragon Man is extremely anti-Obama and anti-Democrat) there are a at least a few blacks and hispanics on the range with me.

And I have a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations.

We call this a strawman.

Obama thinks he is the smartest guy in the room. He truly believes he can divide and conquer (his sine qua non) on this issue by falsely appealing to “hunters”.

Notice there were no meaningful questions (or answers) regarding the purpose of our Second Amendment.

Hint: it has nothing to do with a “hunting tradition”. It has everything to do with protecting against grotesque and excessive government overreach.

Mr. Obama is going to lose and lose badly on this issue. Most Democrats don’t understand the fairly ubiquitous passion that Americans hold for the Second Amendment. Any senator approaching reelection who signs on, or is even suspected of signing on the the anti-gun agenda will most-likely become an ex-senator.

Marcus Traianus on January 28, 2013 at 11:10 AM

The truly hideous thing about this is that is really the ball game – and the reason the Dear Liar is putting his political capital into this issue.

Because if he can destroy this constraint the people have over an oppressive government, he has no limits.

22nd amendment? Pfffffftt! They’ll say: ‘Hey we got rid of the 2nd amendment, who cares about that one way down on the list!

Problem is they are just waiting around for the issue to be re-energized by a massacre cause by their polices.

Just as Former Pa. Gov. Ed Rendell said that it was a ‘Good Thing’ About Newtown Is That it Was ‘So Horrific:

Ya – even in very conservative El Paso County, CO, when I go to Dragon Man’s range (Dragon Man is extremely anti-Obama and anti-Democrat) there are a at least a few blacks and hispanics on the range with me.

dentarthurdent on January 28, 2013 at 11:41 AM

Yeah, one thing I’ll never forget is, right after Obama started his first term, I went to a gun show in Miami. (Not where I live, I just happened to be there so I hit up a gun show.) The place was packed, of course, and as I was browsing at one table, there was this black dude next to me – average guy, maybe mid-30s, looked like maybe an office worker on his day off – and he was just railing against Obama to the guy running the stand. Making a really passionate case that Obama was bad news, mentioning specifically that Obama’s first call to a foreign leader as president was to the Palestinian Authority’s Mahmoud Abbas, and arguing that this was an urgent time to stock up on firearms and ammo.

When I saw that, I thought, ‘wow, this is going to be a big issue.’ He was right. That was the beginning of the gun hoard.

Turns out, the exact opposite is true. The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action conducted a national scientific poll of NRA members this week and found the vast majority are on the same page regarding a wide range of issues, in particular when it comes to new gun control measures and how to prevent mass shootings.
92% of NRA members oppose gun confiscation via mandatory buy-back laws.
89% oppose banning semi-automatic firearms, often mistakenly called “assault rifles”.93% oppose a law requiring gun owners to register with the federal government.
92% oppose a new federal law banning the sale of firearms between private citizens.

Sounds like this is an artful way of saying, “Skeet shooting occurs at Camp David, so give me a little cred.” Then again, life has a way of surprising you. I’ve lived throughout California, and the only gun enthusiasts I’ve met (outside of military folk) were in San Francisco. The only shooting range I’ve seen — again, skeet shooting — was in San Francisco, too.

At the mention of gangs, Feinstein launched into a rambling, almost incoherent tirade that exposed the fallacy of her argument and the idiocy of her bill. She said, “Do you realize that we have 150,000 plus gang members in this nation? When they go up against the police, it’s generally an AK 47. Do you realize that police have had to break into gun stores to get weapons that would be stronger than the adversary they have? Do you realize that one out of every five law enforcement officers that’s killed is killed with an assault weapon? Do you need assault weapons? These are weapons that are made to kill large numbers of people in close combat, and what we have found that now with the AR 15, they have a slide stock which you put in. It’s legal, and it makes the gun act fully automatic.”

Some of the things that Feinstein said are simply not true.

For example, the slide stock that she said makes an AR 15 “act fully automatic” doesn’t do that.

Nothing except a fully automatic weapon “acts fully automatic.” If the senator would take the time to familiarize herself with the weapons that she proposes to ban and their accessories, she would know that. But even more important, does she believe that imposing a ban on “assault weapons” would keep gang members and other menacing groups and individuals from owing and using them? If she does, then she needs to be admitted to an institution for observation for diminished capacity.(More….)
==============================================

At the mention of gangs, Feinstein launched into a rambling, almost incoherent tirade that exposed the fallacy of her argument and the idiocy of her bill. She said, “Do you realize that we have 150,000 plus gang members in this nation? When they go up against the police, it’s generally an AK 47. Do you realize that police have had to break into gun stores to get weapons that would be stronger than the adversary they have?

1. Gang members rarely use any sort of rile, due to lack of concealability. In fact, the most common weapons among gangbangers are sawed-off shotguns (NFA weapons since 1934) and handguns of the same types issued to police, notably Glock and Beretta 9mm and .40-caliber autoloading pistols.

2. The “breaking into gun stores” part is a reference to the North Hollywood shootout, in which NHPD officers went to an open gun store to acquire AR-15s and full-metal-jacket ammunition to defeat the bullet-resistant vests worn by the bank robbers. Said vests are already illegal for civilian possession under CA law, and have been for over a quarter-century. In the end, one was taken alive but wounded (died later) and the other committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a 9mm pistol essentially identical to those issued to NHPD officers. Apparently, NHPD does not teach the concept of the cranio-ocular shot. (Look up “Mozambique Drill”.)

what we have found that now with the AR 15, they have a slide stock which you put in. It’s legal, and it makes the gun act fully automatic.”

3. Actually, it requires a specific type of sear arrangement to make an AR-15 fire fully-automatic. It also requires a military-specification lower receiver to accommodate it, as the civilian AR-15 lower receiver is specifically designed not to accommodate it. A mil-spec upper receiver is needed, as well, as the civilian bolt is specifically designed to prevent proper engagement with the military lower, hence preventing any such “hybrid” from actually firing.

BTW, I have worked on both civilian AR-15s and military M-16 variants, so I know what works and what does not. Senator Feinstein obviously does not.

Of course, the mantra of this new ruling class is “what difference does it make“?

You are right, so what, why does he feel the need to relate to the people he’s trying to screw out of their constitutional rights. No one says he has to like guns but at least be honest. Honest……can’t do that, people might realize who he really is.

(As to that “Bishop!”, I had this thread load with just the first 5 comments or so for a moment. I wondered why it looked new… but thought I would give you credit for that first comment. Then it refreshed and went back to two pages of comments…..)

You are right, so what, why does he feel the need to relate to the people he’s trying to screw out of their constitutional rights. No one says he has to like guns but at least be honest. Honest……can’t do that, people might realize who he really is.

Cindy Munford on January 28, 2013 at 2:12 PM

They asked him a question.
He answered it.
That you fantasize that he’s making it up about skeet shooting, reminds me of the time that
PULL! thwang-ang-ang-ang…

Gee, it’s so tough to figure out why Cindy would have that opinion of him, isn’t it, verbaloser?

“I think that I’m a better speechwriter than my speechwriters,” Mr. Obama told Patrick Gaspard, his political director, at the start of the 2008 campaign, according to The New Yorker. “I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I’ll tell you right now that I’m going to think I’m a better political director than my political director.”